I would like to pose a challenge to Messianics and Jewish Christians. It is one that Judaism can easily answer, as I will show shortly.

 

The prophet says (Amos 3:7) "For the Lord G-D will do nothing, unless He reveals His counsel unto His servants the prophets." G-d says that nothing is hidden from the prophets. We should then expect that in the least, the major claims with regards to the Messianic period should be there openly in the words of the prophets. The challenge is to use open revelation of the prophets to prove the main Christian/Messianic beliefs. The openness and clarity must be as open and clear as the Jewish beliefs on this issue. So here is the challenge:

 

Please show me at least 3 passages in the Tenach where all the major Christian Messianic beliefs can be found IN ONE PLACE:

 

Messianic ruler to be born of a virgin.

• Messianic ruler to be G-d incarnate.

• Messianic ruler to die for sins.

• Belief in the Messianic ruler (and his death/resurrection) needed to get atonement for sins.

• Messianic ruler to come twice, after many hundreds of years.

 

 

Now I will provide at least three passages where the main End Times beliefs of Judaism occur can be found together and openly stated:

 

1. End of Exile

2. World peace

3. A King of David's line leading

4. Israel G-d's people

 

Isaiah 11:1-16

Jeremiah 30:1-25

Ezekiel 37:21-28

 

I could add many more passages, but let me only list 5 more that are similar to the above 3:

Deut. 30:1-10

Isaiah 2:2-4

Ezekiel 34:20-31

Ezekiel 36:22-38

Jeremiah 23:5-8

 

Where the Jewish view is clear, repeated constantly in the prophets, we do not find the same with the Christian view. (As I have said, I have limited the ones that show the Jewish side.) There is in the Christian 'proof texts' a lack of clarity, and no consistency.

 

Even if we allow for prophecies that are not germane to this issue (like Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9) they do not have ALL the points in one place, nor do they corroborate the other ones in any clear manner. The Jewish prophesies I have mentioned constantly reference the end times and give the same general picture again and again. Any objective person comparing the facts, will obviously be in the position of either rejecting Jesus, or rejecting the word of G-d.

 

Answers can be sent to me.